Exerciser.



No. 680,556, Patented Aug. l3, l90l.

H. W. WIELANDQ EXERCISEB.

(Application filed Sept. 95, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HENRY \VILLIAM \VIELAND, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN CHARLES WRAY, OF LAMBETH, LONDON COUNTY, ENGLAND.

EXERCISER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,556, dated August 13, 1901. Application filed September 25, 1900. Serial No.3LO42. (No model.)

To (025 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WILLIAM Win- LAND, a subject of the Queen of England, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Athletic Apparatus or Exercisers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in athletic apparatus or exercisers, and has for its objectthe construct ion of apparatus which can be readily fixed in position and adjusted for use. In exercisers according to this invention two clamps are provided which can be secured to, say, the top and bottom of the framing of a door. Hooks are formed in one piece with these clamps to engage with eyes or loops upon the ends of a stretched band, which extends between the clamps. This stretched band is preferably of material which is inelastic or but very slightly elastic and may be provided with a buckle'or other adjustment for length. An adjustable friction-grip is provided, which can be readily moved along the stretched band and quickly secured in any convenient position thereon. This grip is provided with a pivoted bar to which may be attached elastic cords terminating in handles shaped to accommodate the hand or, if desired, the foot.

per, as will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view showing one construction of exerciser according to this invention, and 5 Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through a 3 portion of the apparatus and drawn to a I larger scale. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section of one of the sockets D and its appurtenances, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of Fig. 3 and is also hereinafter described.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

A represents clamps preferably formed of metal and shaped to readily fit over the framing of a door. Each clamp A is provided with a hook A, formed in one piece with the body of the clamp, and a thumb screw A having a loose washer A upon its end, serves to grip the door or other support to which the clamp is secured. Between the hooks A is back plate and the teeth 0 Preferably the I pivoted bar is employed as an auxiliary grip- I other ends with hooks D to which stirrup a stretched band 13, provided with loops B,

which engage with the hooks A upon the.

clamps. By means of a buckle B the length of the stretched band B may be adjusted, and the stretch band may be of material which is very slightly elastic, so that the loops B. may be engaged with or disengaged from the hooks A without altering the position of the buckle B after it is once adjusted.

Upon the stretched band B is an adj ustablc duplex friction-grip 0. (Shown in section in' Fig. 2.) It comprises a back plate C,'provided with lugs 0 which serve as guides for the stretched band and other lugs O in which a gripping=plate C is pivoted. The end of this plate 0 adjacent to the pivots is turned down and formed with teeth C which serve to grip the material forming the stretched band B. To adjust the position of the grip C, the gripping-plate C is turned upon its pivot into the position indicated in chain lines in Fig. 2, and the grip can then be moved freely up and down the band. By closing the plate C down onto the back plate 0 the band B is forcibly held between the An angle-bar O C is also pivoted to the lugs C and is provided withholes C which accommodate hooks D at the extremities of elastic cords D. These cords D are provided at their shaped handles D are attached.

To use the apparatus, the clamps A are first fixed in position and theband B placed tautly between the books A. The adjustable friction-grip O is then secured in a convenient position upon the band B, and the handles D being gripped exercises of the kind usually performed with apparatus of the type are gone through. When the elastic cords D are pulled in a direction such as that which is indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, the pull tends to move the grip C upward along the band B, and thus to cause the end of the plate 0 to move in the direction in which it operates .to release the grip. At such times, however, the angle-bar G will be maintained by the cords D in the position in which it is seen in Fig. 2 that is to say, with its flange G pressed against the contiguous surface of the band B and forcing it against the adjacent portion of the back plate 0. Consequently the device (1 C constitutes an auxiliary gripper and the grip C cannot move up along the band aforesaid, nor will the pull in the cords D'tend to move the grippingplate 0 It will be appreciated that to carry out the various exercises it is necessary to alter the position of the grip relatively to the hand during the use of the apparatus, and hence it is of great convenience to employ a quicklyacting friction-grip, such as O, which instantaneously releases or grips the band and owing to the taptness of the latter the adjustment of the grip may be effected with one hand applied. only to the plate 0, gravity keeping the angle-bar C C normally out of act ion. Further, the grip, although holding t he band quite firmly, does notactually perforate it, and thus there is no danger of injuring the material forming the-band.

The means whereby the cords D and the sockets D for the hooks D are firmly secured together will now be described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. Each cord D, the normal thickness of which is indicated in Fig. 3, is first stretched, so t-hatit becomes attenuated to a smaller diameter, such as that which it is shown as having in Fig. 4. While thus attenuated, a ring D corresponding in internal diameter to the external diameter of the attenuated cord, is easily slid upon the latter, which is thereafter allowed to resume its normal length, in doing which it regains its normal diameter, the ring D becoming embedded in it, as shown in Fig. 3. This ring bears against a shoulder or constriction D in the socket D and it is not found to be possible to pull the cord out of the-ring or the ring through the socket-by any stress which the cord is capable of applying to them. Loops D are sprung over the sockets D so that their ends enter and turn freely in holes provided in the socket fortheir reception.

These loops the eyes of the hooks D encircle loosely.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an athletic exerciser, the combination with a stretched band B, of an adjustable frictiongrip comprising a back plate 0, a gripping-plate C pivoted to the back plate, a bar C pivoted to the back plate and between Which. bar and the back plate the said band passes, elastic cords attached to the bar G a gripping edge C on said bar adapted to grip the band when the pull on the cords is in a certain direction, as specified.

2. In an athletic exerciser, the combination with a band, of a back plate, a bar C pivoted'to the back plate and having a gripping edge adapted to grip the band as described,

said band passing betweensaid bar and back plate, an elastic cord and means for attaching the cord to the bar comprising a socket D having a shoulder D a ring D encircling the cord and lying within the socket, and a connection between the socket and thebar C. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY WILLIAM WIELAND. Witnesses:

HAROLD WADE, HARRY B. BRIDGE. 

